Principal's Message
Principal Report
Principal’s Newsletter Message
It was lovely to see a touch of Christmas arrive across the school today as our staff and students supported the Hamilton Uniting Church Christmas Appeal. Whilst there was plenty of joy and sparkle, at the heart of the day was genuine kindness, with our students donating food items to support families in our community.
Next week marks our second-last week of school and brings with it three significant events—Statewide Transition Day, Grade 6 Graduation and the Final Assembly. All three events represent important milestones as students prepare to take their next steps in their learning journey, and we celebrate the journey of our Grade 6 students.
On Monday, families will receive a letter outlining class allocations for 2026. Please know that a great deal of thought and care has gone into forming balanced, supportive and positive learning groups over recent weeks. Our staff are committed to ensuring that each child is placed in a class environment that supports their ability to develop academically, socially and emotionally.
To support a smooth transition from 2025 into 2026 we have minimised as much staffing movement as we can. There are only a few small changes including Mr Watt increasing his role as a classroom teacher. This will mean that we will be adding a second Phys Ed Teacher to our team, and we hope to have this information out to the community before the term ends.
2026 Class Structure and Enrolments
- Prep A – Mrs Cindy Riddle & Mrs Carolynn Murray (Fridays)
- Prep B – Mrs Britt Hawthorne
- 1 / 2 A –Mrs Liisa Beaton (Mon/Tues) and Mrs Danah Clark (Wed/Thurs/Fri)
- 1/2 B – Mrs Jessica Smith (Mon/Tues/Wed)/Mrs Celeste Dickson (Thurs/Fri)
- 1/2 C – Mrs Alison Smith
- 1/2 D – Mrs Jane McCulloch
- 3/ 4 A –Mrs Sylvia Murray (Mon/Tues) and Mr Lachie Watt (Wed/Thurs/Fri)
- 3/4 B – Mrs Janelle Harms
- 3/ 4 C – Miss Emma Callaway
- 3/ 4 D – Ms Sophie Hannah
- 5/6 A – Mr Jimmy Stephens/Mrs Sheree McGinley (Wednesdays)
- 5/6 B – Mrs Emma Brabham
5/6 C – Miss Georgina Paton
We will also continue with our specialist program lead by
- Phys Ed: Mr Lachie Watt (Mon/Tues) & TBC (Wed)
- Art: Ms Brown (Monday – Wednesday)
- Music: Mrs Garland (Mon/Tues) & Mrs Pitman (Wed)
STEM: Mr Sam Nolan (Tues - Fri)
Our ES team for 2026 will include:
- Prep: Mrs Narelle Pitts
- Year 1/2: Mrs Jess Rhook, Mrs Brianna Rankin, Mrs Wendy Goodman
- Year 3/4: Mrs Claire Hilsden & Mrs Margie Stevenson
- Year 5/6: Mr Daniel Brabham, Mr Ash Nice & Mrs Ebony Brown
Office: Ms Maree Falkenberg & Mrs Leesa Dorman
Unfortunately, this does mean that due to some budgeting changes we are saying goodbye to several ES who have been valuable team members this year including: Mr Tobie Hunt, Ms Chloe Campbell, Ms Leila Elton, Ms Billy Easson, Mrs Amanda Douglas and Miss Jess McLaren.
Our additional Team Roles include:
- Principal: Mrs Jane Langley
- Assistant Principal: Mr Ben Kelson (Mon – Wed)
- Learning Specialist: Mrs Danah Clark (Mon/Tues)
Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader: Mrs Trish Taylor (Tues/Wed/Thurs)
We are excited with the fabulous team that is our Gray Street Staff. The fact that there is little staff turnover is reflective of the staff’s commitment to the school, the strong relationships and our positive culture.
As we look ahead to 2026, we are excited to build on the strong foundations established throughout 2025. This past year has been one of growth and collaboration as we strengthen our approaches to wellbeing and learning. We are proud of the progress our school community has achieved together.
In 2026, our key focus areas will continue to strengthen the quality and consistency of writing across the school. We will also extend our work in building inclusive classrooms, where every student has the supports they need to be successful in their learning. Alongside this, we will continue to deepen and layer our wellbeing approaches, recognising that students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected.
We look forward to another productive, inspiring year ahead, one where our collective efforts allow us to move ‘every upwards, always our best’